Rep. Brown Legislation to Save Taxpayer Dollars Passes House

Washington, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Shontel Brown’s bipartisan SAMOSA Act, legislation to lower federal software costs and improve efficiency. The legislation was approved unanimously on the House floor after passing the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, earlier this month. The legislation now heads to the Senate. 

The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act requires agencies to conduct comprehensive assessments of their software licensing practices, allowing the federal government to streamline software purchasing and reduce unnecessary costs. According to a Senate Committee report, the SAMOSA Act could save taxpayers up to $5 billion annually.

WATCH: Brown Floor Speech on SAMOSA Act

“My SAMOSA Act makes the government more efficient, strengthens our cybersecurity efforts, and saves billions in taxpayer funds. This bipartisan bill makes sure that we’re paying for the software we need, not overpaying for duplicative and outdated subscriptions we don’t. This is what government efficiency efforts should look like, addressing real problems in a thoughtful way. I am grateful for the support this legislation has received in the House and will continue to work towards passage of the SAMOSA Act this Congress. The SAMOSA Act is a commonsense bill that saves taxpayer money, and it’s time for the Senate to pass this legislation,” said Congresswoman Shontel Brown. 

The SAMOSA Act is co-led by Congresswoman Nancy Mace (SC-01), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04), and Congresswoman April McClain Delaney (MD-06). 

Congresswoman Shontel Brown serves as Ranking Member on the Oversight Committee Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation.

The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets (SAMOSA) Act

The U.S. federal government spends billions of dollars every year on purchases, renewals, and software license modifications. However current management and procurement processes do not provide agencies with adequate transparency and often lead to wasteful spending on duplicative purchases. 

To increase agency oversight of software purchasing, improve efficiency, and reduce costs, the SAMOSA Act would require:

• Agencies to create a comprehensive software inventory and undergo an independent assessment of software license management practices and contracts;
• Agency Chief Information Officers (CIOs) to develop a plan to adopt enterprise licensing agreements, improving negotiating power against software vendors, and reduce costs;
• OMB to publish a governmentwide strategy for software modernization based on the aforementioned audits and plans; and
• Agencies to include their respective plans and performance assessments in annual budget submissions.

The SAMOSA Act is supported by the following organizations: The Coalition for Fair Software Licensing, the Computer & Communications Industry Association, NetChoice, and the Alliance for Digital Innovation.

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